Joe Martinez

Joseph Andrew Martinez (born February 26, 1983) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He played parts of four seasons for the San Francisco Giants (2009–2010), Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks (2012), and Cleveland Indians (2013). Martinez threw right-handed but batted left-handed.

A native of South Orange, New Jersey, Martinez played four years of college baseball for the Boston College Eagles. Used exclusively as a starting pitcher as a senior in 2005, he was drafted by the Giants in the 12th round of the 2005 MLB draft. Progressing through the minor leagues, he won the 2009 Harry S. Jordan Award as the Giant who did the best in his first spring training, making San Francisco's Opening Day roster as a result. He picked up the win on Opening Day, April 7, but two days later, he suffered a concussion and three fractured bones when a line drive off the bat of Mike Cameron hit him in the forehead. The injury kept him out for several months, but he returned to the Giants later in the season. After being the Fresno Grizzlies' best starter in 2010, he was called up in mid-June when Todd Wellemeyer was injured; he made one start before being replaced by Madison Bumgarner in the rotation. Midway through the year, he was traded to the Pirates.

Assigned to the minor leagues, Martinez did not pitch for the Pirates until September, when he made five relief appearances. He spent all of 2011 in the minor leagues for Cleveland. In 2012, he pitched in one game for the Diamondbacks, and he made two appearances for Cleveland in 2013. After a brief stint in the minor leagues for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2014, he retired. In 2022, MLB hired Martinez as their Senior Director of On-Field Operations.

High school and college Martinez was born in South Orange, New Jersey, on February 26, 1983. As a baseball player, he was twice a member of New Jersey's All-State team. He graduated in 2001 and became a member of the school's Hall of Fame in 2007. After the 2004 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was named a league all-star and posted a 2–5 record with a 2.84 ERA.

In Martinez's senior year of 2005, the Eagles used him entirely as a starting pitcher. In 2005, he made 12 starts, posting an 8–3 record, a 2.63 ERA, and 97 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched. Martinez allowed nine home runs that year, the third-most in the league.

In 2007, Martinez pitched For the High-A San Jose Giants of the California League. He twice recorded 11 strikeouts, first against the Stockton Ports on May 1, and later against the Modesto Nuts on July 13. He competed with Keiichi Yabu and Ramón Ortiz to be the Giants' long reliever. At the end of spring training, he was named to the team's Opening Day roster at the end of spring training. Martinez posted a 1.72 ERA over his final five appearances of the preseason, and Giants reliever Sergio Romo was still recovering from an elbow injury. "We like the way (Martinez) throws," said Giants' manager Bruce Bochy. "He holds runners and does all the little things on the mound. He handles the bat. He throws strikes. He has a good sinker." Two days later, in the ninth inning against Milwaukee, a line drive off the bat of Mike Cameron struck Martinez in the forehead, lacerating him and causing a nose bleed. He was able to walk off the field unaided, but was taken to a local hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with a concussion and three small fractures to his skull, but they expected him to make a full recovery. He spent a few days in the hospital as a precaution. Reporter Jeff Chiu called the incident "one of the most frightening moments a pitcher can have on the mound", adding that Martinez "was lucky not to have been more seriously injured on the play". On August 28, he was optioned to the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League after giving up eight runs the night before in an 11–0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Martinez was recalled by the Giants on September 8 but made only two more appearances for them the rest of the year, both in relief.

In nine games (five starts), Martinez had a 3–2 record, a 7.50 ERA, 19 strikeouts, 12 walks, and 46 hits allowed in 30 innings pitched.

2010 Chukchansi Park was Martinez's home stadium during his time with the Grizzlies. Martinez attended spring training with the Giants in 2010, but right elbow inflammation limited him to one game, and he was optioned to Fresno on March 23. That season, The Fresno Bee reported that he was "arguably [the Grizzlies'] best starter". In 14 games (13 starts), he posted a 5–3 record, a 3.32 ERA, 65 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 78 hits allowed in innings pitched. Starting in place of Wellemeyer against the Baltimore Orioles on June 15, Martinez pitched innings but allowed four runs in a 4–1 defeat. "I was a little out of synch not having pitched for 10 days, but it was good enough to get a lot of ground balls that just found holes," Martinez afterwards described his performance. Seldom-used, he made only four appearances (counting the start) through the trade deadline of July 31, posting an 0–1 record and a 4.91 ERA.

After his departure, the Giants went on to win the 2010 World Series. As a member of the team that season, he received a ceremonial World Series ring, which he had to pick up from a FedEx distribution center in New Jersey.

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates immediately optioned Martinez to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians of the International League. In seven games (four starts), he posted a 1–2 record, a 5.72 ERA, 18 strikeouts, seven walks, and 46 hits allowed in innings. Despite Martinez's starting experience, manager John Russell said the team planned to use him as a relief pitcher. He made five relief appearances for them, recording no record and a 3.12 ERA. He was outrighted to the International League's Columbus Clippers on February 18. In 35 games (16 starts), he had an 8–9 record, a 4.04 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 29 walks, and 136 hits allowed in 118 innings. On November 2, he became a free agent.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Martinez signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 5, 2011. Fox Sports suggested that the Diamondbacks intended to use him as a long reliever, as Wade Miley, who had previously filled the role, was now making starts. Martinez made his lone MLB appearance of the year on April 25, giving up one run in the final inning of a 7–2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Five days later, he was sent back to Reno when Patrick Corbin was called up for the first time. In 27 starts for Reno, he had a 10–11 record, a 5.39 ERA, 99 strikeouts, 49 walks, and 206 hits allowed in innings. On October 25, Martinez became a free agent, following his removal from the team's 40-man roster.

Cleveland Indians (second stint) Martinez re-signed with the Cleveland Indians on December 14, 2012, on a minor league contract that included an invitation to spring training. After opening the 2013 season with Columbus, he was added to the major league roster on June 29 when Matt Langwell was sent down. He pitched two scoreless innings in that day's game, earning the victory in a 4–3 triumph over the Chicago White Sox. "He really clutched up...that's not the easiest situation to be put into," manager Terry Francona said of Martinez's entering a tied game for his first MLB appearance in over a year. Six days later, he pitched the final three innings and allowed a run in a 7–0 loss to the Detroit Tigers. Following that game, he was sent back to Columbus so the Indians could promote Carlos Carrasco. In 24 games (21 starts), he had a 3–7 record, a 5.26 ERA, 90 strikeouts, 27 walks, and 163 hits allowed in 130 innings pitched. He threw right-handed but batted left-handed. Martinez and his wife Casey have three children together.